The Sun. — London, England, 1809-08-02 00:00:00

t'a!a~ . .. . . $ i ' - 8 , Abi?:18.:1_a: -, ', ''''' ' .1,0 • ~..A . :-.., , V..1ii:-,, .. !, IC \ f's . , . : ( ct ' a, 4 kli , ..:'/;,' , ; , ,:f?: : , r , , t _ _ low: , ~. i) , 4 1-.4. ....s., r , e.- ~ •-• . ~ . 'ke IC t4 . lll°'- # lo :cZr . 4 1 i iii. .: .10.7?e \i r , - .0 -.:• ..... ,p, I , _.........,...;,,...,.:„...,_:,....‘.,..._,. +ire,. ./„::,.............44.14;, , ,;-,.,";0.::.:•;:, 0 ,/i:ier4 ‘,.,, itiit \Nt -, ' ~,I, iTIMPER 5260.] EDNESDA Y,' AUGUST 2,180 Q. {PRICE SIXPENCE HALFPENNY VICTUALLING-OFFICE, • 7 1 4 3t, 18c9. ,• • . T HE COMMiSS/ONERSfor /CTUA L His 111 A JP:STY' s NAV Y do herebygivir Notice, That an ruesday, the Bth of A'agust next, they will he readyito receive I en -4,4, in writiugf make! up).:,;d treat fir One Thousand BO L'l S of LAGS, for the use of the Ccmperage, to be answerable to Sample: zo he produced with the Tende;s, to he delivered, in the space of Six !Peeks, into his Majetty's ViSualling Store's at Deptford, aud to be paid for by Bills payable, with interest, ninety Days aft,. s ite. The ,Conditi , ns of the Contraa may- be seen at the Secretag's - °ffit•e, No regard will be bad to any Tender in which the Price shall COURT .MARPIAL. - • , paiiied by a paper drawn by Sr Richard Keats, with his opinion-of a mode of attack upon an enemy's squadron, moored under the Isle d'Aix, and :signi fying she tlifeEtions of the Lords Commissioners to me t 6 take-into my consideration the possibility of making an attack upon the enemy's fleet, either conjointly with -the line-of-battlei ships ' under my command, and the frigates, small craft, &c. or se parately therewith. Yen will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships, 'That I shall apply all , the powers and energy of my mind to carry inio•effeet their di reetions as far as possible, when the means with which their Lordships have ordered me 'to i)e fur bished, arrive at this anchorage. 1 will not at, pre-., sent detain. the Encounter in her return to Ply mouth b‘pt,will, detach another vessel to-morrow, and will iornish you with, .a statement of the enemy's force, position, and circumstances, for their Lordships in rolination. Their ships certainly lay exposed to an attack upon them with tiie,.vessels, with a hope of success. that - the French, to protea their fieet had equipped 73 launches ani cat ier five , divi-ions, to guard it-trom surprise dUring the night; and-to tow off our fire-ships on their approach 5 ~nu the tranquility of the 10th would have afforded he enemy full opportunity of availing themSel‘ es of thi protedion ; but of this they were deprive,i,y th,-; very'blowing weather on the subsequent night, when the fire-ship were sent in. I have here to noticq; that some clays previous to the attack, I had, to de; ceive the enemy, adopted - the precaution of orde't log out of the Rods vessels of every description, that were not to be:engaged in the intended operations, To ass itit and support the fire ships, the following disposition was made of the whole force iit trig 444 and smallef vessels. • FIFTH IJAV, 'Nt be inserted in dtviird.r at - length, or that shall n o t be delivered to the Board before One o'Clock on the said Tuesday, the Bth of Au gust next, nor unless the Person who make, the , Tender, or some -Peslo n on his .; ,, r.:,./; „—to answer when called for. TURTLES ,VVILLSHIRE; King's Head Tavern, Poultry, • . has just _landed a CARGO of tine lively 'Ulla.- ' TLES for Sale. Turtles dressed every day in the highest Petredion for Parties, or sent to any part of-Town or Country. MONEY. NIESSRS. LUCAS and Co. iieg Leave to inform A. those that may be desirous Of borrowing, Tempo., rary or Permanent SIT MS of MONEY, that they can at all 'M ies, and without delay, advance any Sum from. One Hun (tired to Twenty Thousand Pounds, 'and upwards, on personal . or any.other Security, arising fr,in Marriage Settletnents, Mo. .hey in the Funds, Clergy mens' Livings, or Freehold, Copy , hold,,alid Leasehold Estates, on the in ist fair and equitable Terms, and will als o con d u a every Negm iation at- much less expence than what is usually incurred in money trausadions. Personal Applications Messrs. Lucas and Co. daily re '. • ceive at their house, No. io, lertnYn-street, St. lames's, and Letters, post-paid, immediately answered. N.B. Ten years purchase will be given fur well secured Annuities. , _ THE MONTHLY REVIEW. THE PUBLISHER of the MONTHLY RE-. VIEW begs leave to inform the Literary World, that arrangements have lately been made in . the Stock of that work, to facilitate the supply of any Numbers or Volumes (that are not out of print) from its courrneticentent in. 1749 to the presoit time, which may be wanting to render Sets -c Lally applications, however, are recommended, be.: s caltse'very tew - copies of some Numbers rernainin the Ware- , . A, coloured Engraving of a curious speciesof Monkey was given in the I:]*.i;ht,7entli Volume of_ the Old Series of the Monthly ReView, p. z 36, which, it, is believed, is ,now wanting in many, Sets. Some impressioiri of. it have been rhscovered among the Stock ; and a , :y Prcprietor c•f th,t,Vo lume, who firds it deficient in the Prim, may h.ive the.oinie- Sion supplied. gratis, on sending the Volume to Pail- f•lalt. In any other case, .th Print may be had at the price Of Half a Crown. -No. 81; July 1809. s Yen ' , elegant, interesting, and very valuable f MTIE •LI SH NfE are given-in the 48th Number, published on Tuesday, August 1, price 2s-. Oil, of L A BELLE ASSEMBLEE ; or, Bell's Court and Fashionable Magazine. - First, a very beautiful Portrait of the Duchess ofßutland, encircled with hit Heraldic Arms. Second, to whole length Portrait Figure in the Brighton Walking Dres,,, beautifully coloured, . „ - Third, a whole length Portrait Figure in the Kezisiiigton Carden Walking Dress, beautitully coloured. The above fashionableDreises may be depended on as the Most accurate and elegant of the sea. on. Fourth, Two elegant Patterns for Needle Wei*. • Fifth, Map yif toe Seat pf War in Germany, and,Plan of the sanguinary "Battle of A s pern. • Sixth, Map of the Island Of WalCheren, and the adjoining Coasts, which the British Grand Expedition is destined to; And, 7th, an Original . Sons, entitled Henry and„ lane,. set to Music expressly -for this Number by Mr, Hook, Coin joser of the Vauxhall Garden Music. Such are the very valuable and interesting Embellishments which are contained in this Number, -anctactapted particu larly to the taste and improvement of the Female mind. London Printedlor Iplin Proprietor of the Weekly eSsemzer, Southampton-street,: Strand ; and SOld • also by every- 13 ooksel let in the Kingdom ; of whom-may, be had also complete Sets, or any singi:i Numbers to complete Sets. _.: JAMES - SKELTON; abed 26, of Walton on the -.. °'n, Surrey, ' - Hill ' i • '- w ':. as Seven yeas - affilded with raven or eight holes hi his • It le and . between• ninety Lnd rip g,. "one hundred piec:s ;If bone came away during that period,' • The discharge and Weaknc..y.s.increasing,unaMe• unassisted, to move ;• taking ofthis le -A - was proposeri - to save his life. He I.:onlently applicti to SP I LS 8.0 It Y's TISCORVTIC.bfkop s; iri a year and a half, by them alone, he is rcsTored to hCalth ; and it is now three_ years .sin c e. he has rfolloWed - his labori9us occupation. He will .., satisfy any inquiries,. personally, or by letter post paid. Tile genuine 'Medicine has the words, " By .the King's I 'au:l)W' expressed on the Bottle, bill of direaion, and out_ aide wrapper , arid the Kink's duty i s printed-in black ink. • !tiold at th.z: Dispensary, ts, Soho-square, London, •in sili a ll 13„ : ties of ss. 6d. double Bottle, iOF. and larger ;1. as. • cUtIIPOUrId Essence; to allay unpleasant irritation, Sa. ' . . . . D IXON'S CELEBRATED .ANTABILIOUS PILLS. r. ,-..._ - 1 - . HESE ' PILLS ' have lung, 9btaiped 'a just utie- : 1 4 .. brit) , in the • private practice of the Propaietor, Mr; '' ) l X UN, Apothecary ; mid from theirgleat success i n Many t,bstinate Bilious Disorders, on numerous Patiimis •of dis tinttion and others, particularly the late Duke of Bedford, • ~!Sir C•eoree kVarrci ti Sir Giegory . - Vage"Furnar, th e il i , erager '''LlY' Say - and - SelP, the Viscountess Bulkeley, &c. &c. he. ni , persuaded to offer them to the Public, under the ap • .'''u t, ation and satittion of their names. The follbwing is a Proof of their liflicacy : - . - " Deal Castle, Haverfordwest, l:Outh Wales, , Feb - . --- 24, 1803. r ' t . altll:'oCPtain I• • .'i nents-to Mr. Dixon ; Lloyd presents irscompi i . R . , , ugh not peraonallti. acquainted with him, would take it t. ~.a favou r if he would send him four or five boxes of his .: Ills as soon as he possibly can. Mrs. Lloyd, who has al 'o.. - ,... a Ys used the Medicine, is now. pregnant, and very unwell'; Dr the 1 ° Colonel t service they have been to Mrs. Lloyd, as well as Bishop and all his Family, CaPtain Lloyd feels it [lt duty to rec ommen d t h e Pill s wherevee he goes ; he r e ally nks if Mr. Dixon would-appoint some persons as Venders in this County, it would be a benefit to the community.". The l'ills are found to be an incomparable remedy for re . storing the tune or tne, stomach ; for curing indigestion, for Prev‘iiting crudities, and their consequent disagreeable eruc tations and jiatulencies. They.prevent habitual and .tempo 'rat.): Costiveness, sick Her.d.achs; and Heart-bairn, which is occasi ned by pregnancy,'and a debilitated Stdmach,whether „ atising_froin the acrimony of the redundant bile, intemperate diet, 0 drinking to excess. Sold wholesale and retail, at Mr. Butler's, No. 4, Cheap'- . s ideo_ornerot Paternoster.row, Londe:: ; .Bar ter, - Edinburgh, • anti s;Lith, Baxter, and Milionald, Glasgow; Trewman, -4 x.ete, ; Belam, PortSmouth ; -Peck, Bull; Granville and "lox ,arid, I•lyinouth; and retail by most Country Medicine 'Venders, in Boxes at 2s. 9d. and 6s. each. ~ , • LORD 'GAMBLER'S DEFENCE; • • '[Continued front Yesterday's Pa . per.] . . , On the 15th March, I issued the following Gene- ral Orders to the fleet : • , 44 CzNERAL ORDERS. When .the - fleet takes an an. chbrage'in Basque Roatig,, the starboard division will anchor in aline E. by S. from the Ciledenia, _and the larboard divi sion wilt atfcho'r in a line W. by S. tronOier The ships are to be moored, the. anchors to be',placed 1 , ..,1\1. E. and from _each other, with the small bower to 114: Westward, and the ships are to be at the distance of two ca, ' bles length from each division. The frigates and brigs are to be placed one mile distance in advance, either towards the Isle of Aix, or the-town of Rochelle, according to the citric ! tion in which the wind blows ; and some of theta will be farther advanced after the close of day. As an additional guard againa any attempt the enemy may make milt tire vessels sadist the fleet, every ship is to be held in cue atEtitt readiness for action, at all times, on the afterrest notice ; every prop _ration is to be made, and kept in iunstaht readi- Iles's, to resist: and trusirate toe attempts of the enemy by the means of fire-ships or vessels ; anti_ the ships ale always to be ready to slip their cables, it it should be necessary, leaving buoys upon them. Two boats from each•ship are to he held constantly with fire grap‘nails in theta-on board the advanced frigates, to tow oil-Tire-vessels: the boats are to go on board the advanced frigates every, nirlit soon alter sun=set', and to remain the night uhder the orders of the Captain having the, charge of toe advanced guard ; • they are : to return to their proper ships in the morning.. Two brigs are to he advanced beyond the frigates, with three boats,: each of •which• are to row guard in moderate weather, and when the wind blows from the Eastward, anti a-vigilant look-dut is tube kept upon the Moveineitts of the enemy Irons all the ships and vessel of the advanced guards. I f any of the enemy's, yessels approach the fleet, they are to be tired at; and it they are suspected to be fire-vesaels bi ue lights are to be immediately burnt as a sig nal thereof. If the enemy's snips of the line are iliscoveted to be in motion, rOckatts are isistantly to be thrown up to prise The fleet. In either ease the frigates will get under sad, , and-act in such a manner as may be most suitable to counter act the operation of the enemy, and'assist the fleet in army way they be.able. Given on board the Caledonia, at anchor, 15th of March, tBo9. (Signed) " GAMBIER." • " To the respective Caprains." On the 17th of March, the fleet anchored in Basque Reads, and was moored in a line, as directed by the General Order. The enemy's ships lay at the distance of about Six , miles, in compactlines, and -the most distant ship of each line within point blank range of the batteries on the Isle of Aix, with their frigates advanced towards the entrance of Aix Roads. This compact position of the enemy, was evidently taken to avoid the shoals around the anchorage. The nearer and' More distinct view I now obtained of the enemy's position, c.otlfirrned ma in my opimon of the impra&icability of a successul attack upon their ships by the fleet, 1 was also satisfied, that the only way di attacking the enemy, was by nieans of . fire ships ; which i str ;gested in my letter. to the first Lord of the Admiralty, whited four days after my arrival at Rochefort, as tblioWs " My DEAR LORD—The advance-work between the Isle of Aix and Oleron, which I mentioned in my last' letter, I find was injured in its foundation, and is in no slat: of progress. That is therefdre no obstacle to our bolunartting the enemy's fleet, if you should be disposed to make an attempt to destroy it. A Ilia' was made six years ago,, when a Spanish squadron-lay at the same anchorage; but without ,elfed. The report of it you will find in the Admi • ratty. It was made by Sir-Charles Pole. The ene my's ships lay very much exposed to the operation • of fire-ships. It is a horrible mode of warfare, and the attempt very hazardous, if not desperate ;. but Wb should have plenty of volunteers for the service. i If -you Mean to any thing of the kind, it should be-with secrecy and quickness; and the ships used should not be lesS than those built for the purpose, at least a dozen, and some smaller ones. • " Your's, my dear Lord - , &c. (Signed) " GAMBIER. " This letter was received by his Lordship on the 19111 March, who indeed had anticipated my sen timents, as aPpears by the following letter from i their Lordships' Secretary, already' before the Court; but which I will here recapitulate : - This letter was dated Admiralty-Office, March 19, ABO 9 ; it stated, that their Lordships had or dered I.2,transports ni be fitted ,asfire-shipS to join the Admiral, and that,Mr. Congreve was also under orders to proceed in a cOppere.d transport (theCleves land), with a large assortment of rockets, and sup plied with a_detachinent of niaritte'arallery instruct ed in the use of them, and placed under Mr. Con greve's orders. That . the 'bomb-vessels., Etn4; ThUnder, Vesuvius, Hound, and Fury, were like- WiSe'under orders to-fit top sea with ad posSible ex pedition, with a view- to enable.. Lord Gambier to matte au attack on the French' fleet at their anchor a;e, off the Isle of Aix, if practicable. His Lord si,ij2 was further commanded to take into his consi deration, the possibility of making an attack upon .tileenerny„ either conjointly with his line-of-battle ships, frigates, and .Small craft, fire-ships, bombs, - 'and locke-ts, or separately by any of. the above-men tioned means; to man the fire-;ships with voiun . Leers, incrusting the said ships in charge of Otlic.ers of the rank of Commander, w ho - may happen to be present, and shall volunteer; to make up any defi ciency by such Lieutenants of the line-of-battle ships as shall volunteer. Lord Gambier was to state whether any further augmentation of force of any description was necessary to enable him to perform this service with full effecl, their Lordships having come to . a determination to leave no means ' untried to destroy the - enemy's squadron; In order to give his Lord ship every inlormatiou, a copy. was inclosed of a paper drawn up by Sir Richard Keats, in 1807, pro posing a mode of attacking an enemy's squadron under Isle . d'Aix.] On the 26th of March, I received the Admiralty directions of the t 9th, above referred to, and to which I answered as follow's : '" Caledonia, Basque Roads, March 26. 1809. " SIR-1 have this day receiveu., by the Encoun ter, your most secret letter of the Igth inst. accotn " I ha;ie the honbur to be, &c. i(signed) " 'GAMBIER." " The lion. W. W. Pole." , _ " Caledonia, in• Basque Roads, Mardi 26, 'Seg. SH=irt Obedience to their LiirdshipS dire&ions to me, I begJeaire to state .'to them; that it would be advisable I should be furnished with six gun brigs, in addition to those I.triay be able to coiled of such as are under my command at present. There are only two at this anchorage: I shall; however, order the Insolent and Contest to join me from Qui heron Bay ;, and I should hope the Martial and Fervent will , return here shortly from Plyniouth.— It is proper I should state for . their Lordships' in formation; the position in which the French fleet is anchored, near the Isle d'Aix, that their, Lordships may be able to form a judgment of the success that. may be expe6ted to attend an attack upon the ene my's fleet in either of the modes directed by their Lordsbips.in your letter: to me above-mentioned, — The enemy's shijas are anchored in two lines; very near each other, in .a direaion due South from the fort of the Isle of Aix, and the ships on each line; not farther apart than their own length, by which it appears, as I imagine, that the space for their an chorage is so confined by the shoalness of the water, as not to admit of ships to run in and anchor clear of each other: The rnost distant ships of their' two lines,are within point blank shot of the works upon the Isle of Aix. Such ships, therefore, as ipight attack the enemy, will ‘ be exposed to be raked by the hdt shot,. &c. from the island ; and should the ships. be disabled in their masts, they must remain within the range of the enemy's fire until destroyed, there not being a sufficient depth of water to allow them to moor to Southward out of distance. The enemy's ships having taken thentlhen position apparently with a view not, only to be proteded' by the strong works on the Isle of Aix, but also to have the entrance of the Charante open to them, that in case of being attacked by fire ships and other engines of the kind,, they can run up the river beyond the reach of them. The tide and wind which are favourable to convey this 'kind of annoyance to the enemy, serve equally •to carry them 'up the'river. With xespea to the at tempt that may -be made to destroy the enemy's ships, with shells,'&c. lam not competent to give • an opinion, until it is ascertained whether the bombs can. be placed within. range of their mortars, to the enemy's ships, without, being exposed to the fire from the Isle . of. Aix. I beg leave to 'add, that if their Lordships are of opinion .that an attack upon' the enemy's ships, by those of the fleet under my command, is practicable, I am ready to obey. any orders they may be pleased to .honour me, with, however great the risque may be of the loss of men anclships. I have the honour .to be, - „. (Signed). ". GABBIER." " The Hon. W. Pole." On the . 27th of March, I went myselt.in the Uni corn, with Sir Harry. Neale, the Captain of the fleet, and Capt. Bedford', of the Caledonia, to , reconnoitre the..enetny's fleet, and the fortifications of the Isle appeared,-notwithstanding Lord Coch rane seeks by his evidence to make .a contrary im pression, :to be of consicierable tnrce. Observing that the enemy were resuming ,their works inn the Boyart shoal,' with the view of affording to their .fleet in Aix Roads an additional• protection, J sent in the Ainelia'atid Conflict, on the Ist of April, to disperse the people employed on these works, which sers lee they effected. On the jd of April, Lord Cochrane arrived with the linperieuse frigate, and .by, his Lordship.l received the following directions from the Admiralty : [These directions merely stated the detention-in the Downs by contrary winds, of the vessels that had been promised ; and communicated their Lordships" orders for the employment of Lord Cochrane."' .That the service might proceed with the utmost Celerity, I ordered eight ,of the laigest transports then with the fleet, to be selected and, prepared as fire-ships, in lieu of the., six expected from 'Ply mouth„ that they might be ready to act with the 12 troth WoolWich, immediately upon their arrival. These; with the Mediator, were accordingly fitted, 'by means of rosin and tar, fortunately found . on board some chasSe rnarees, recently, captured, and other - coinbustib:e materials furnighed by the. fleet. This service was performed under the iininediate superintendence of the Captains of the line-of-hattle. ships, who evinced the most -unremitting aaivity upon the occasion. Upon the Loth of April, at half past four P. M. the Beagle arrived with the 12 fire ships from England. When I issued 'orders to the Commanders of sloops.and first Lieutenants of line 0-battle ships which I had prepared, it was found altogether impracticable 't-.) proceed to the attack on the night of the loth, though much pressed by Lord Cochr.me, and it may be considered a must fortn nate circumstance that the attempt was deterred; for it appears by a general found on bBard one . o 1 the enemy's .and now delivertzU into Court, The Unicorn; Aigle, and Pallas, I diteaed to tat:4 al station near the 13oyart shoal, for the purpose of receiving the crews of the tire-ships on tli ir return from the enterprise, to support the boats of the 17'et which Were to accompany the tire-ships, and like 4 wise to give assistance to the Imperiruse, ship was somewhat further advanced. The Whitin, l ; schooner, and the King George and Nimrod cutiere-, were fitted for throwing rockets, and were also reded to take dstation near that shoal. The Inde fatigable, the Foxhound stoop; and Etna bomb (being the Only bomb-vessel that had then, arrived) were ordered to place themselves as near the fort on th'e. Isle of Aix as possible, the two former to prote& the bomb whilst she threw shells into the fort. The Emerald, Dot terel and Beagle sloops, and In solent, Conflict and Growler gun-brigs, were stationed to make a diversion at the East end of the Isle of Aix. The Redpole-and Lyra 1 direaed to be an chored by the Master of the fleet, one near the isle of Aix' arid the other near the Boyarr,- with lights hoisted, and properly- screened from the en:ntly's view, to guide the Are-ships in their course to tlle attack. Three exlosion vessels, which had been proposed and prepared by Lord.. Cochrane, were, under his Lordship's immediate dire6lion, to.precede the fire ships in the attack. Their explosion was to point out the proper time for _the Officers commanding the fire ships to set fire to their . te.speetive vessels, and to intimidate and preyent the enemy from ;ow ing off the fire ships. The boats , of the fleet under the Superintendarice of Rear Admiral Stopford, were ordered to assemble alongside the C2esar, 'to proceed to assist the fire ships. And I issued the following General Order, and gave the Officers commanding fire ships full instruelions for their proceedings. MEM. GENERAL. " The fire-ships are to. proceed to the attack the ensuing night; the exploding vessels will close with the Impel - tense. The fire vessels will move from their anchors at half past seven. In : running in thee are to leave the two lights of equal height , will be strewn on board a vessel placed for that put pose) on the starboard band ; and to leave the .two lights perpendicular, which will also be shewn on board another vessel placed for that purpose on the. larboard band: " The frigates, &c. which are to protea and re ceive the Officers,and crews of the fire-ships will spew four lights perpendicular, and , the I m p er i eu , will probably anchor near the, Boyars, "and chew five lights perpendicular. " It the wind should shift before the fi r e ships proceed to the attack, or from .other circumstances it should be postponed, the Caledonia,or the Lupe, rieuse will fire a gun, and spew three lights .in'a perpendicular position. Caledonia, in Basque Roads, April t t, 1809. (Signed) . " To the respective Captains, .&c." With these , preconeerted arrangements, the fleet Was at this time onnioored, iii .readiness 'to render any service that might be praaicable', but beipg avoidably anchore.; in a strong tide way; with - the - wind blo-.v Mg hard !row the N. upon the weather tide making, it was again -moored, 'to prevent the 'ships falling on beard each other. At about half past eight T. x plosion ves sels and fire-ships rrocreded to the attack; - at,halt past nine two of the explosion vessels blew up ; at ten most of the tire-ships Were observed to be on tire, the enemy's torts and ships tiring on thern„ Many of the fire-ships were seen to drive through their fleet, and beyond the Isle de Aix. The night was .extremely dark' ; , it blew a strong gale ‘citri high sea, and the service thereby became of such it:- creased hazard as scarcely to admit of a- hope et the officers and men ever returning. it is right I should here Observe, thit althou g h from these and other untoward circumstances, seve4 - ral of the fire-ships failed its their ohjeat, I could not discover (after the fullest investigatien) that blame was imputable to any irf the Officers wno commaild- . ed them. • - The explosion vessels,, condualed by Lord Coch rane in person, also failed - in their object, as`wili be seen by a refereneit' to the'snall chart I now deliver , into Court, which 'points out ,where two of blew up the third !Joke adrift and did Mt eRI3;OCI, - - The situation in which, and the time when hou vessels blew up, proved prejudicial to the enterpri in several reSpects,. Their premature explosion, contrary to the expressed intention of Lord Olehrane, that. they should blow up in the midst of the ene my's' boats, to deter them from towing off our fire ships in their approach, served as 'a warning' to the enemy, ivhose ships were observed instantly to shew lights; and several-of the officers who commanded the fire-ships not, doubting that the explosion had\ taken place near to the enemy's fleet, steered 'their ships and set them on, fire accordingly, by which means severiil ‘V - ere in flames at a greater distance from the enemy than was intended, and so as - to, endanger our advanced frigates. In ha&, had not Gytaiti would - ridge, and some of the'other otricer, wholly disregarding the explosion, taken the fiie ships in a properdire , iion for the enemy, it is more